Electric motors have always been popular for many different applications and trolling motors have been popular since their inception way back in the early 1930s. They used electrical power back then as they do today. There are many prominent brands out there for people to look through. Some brands coincide with different battery models better than others. However, something like a state of the art Minn Kota trolling motor battery will work with any Minn Kota model. Minn Kota are also known to make the best trolling motor battery, listed below.
While we will be providing trolling motor battery reviews all numerous different models, there will be some tips and tricks that you should look out for when getting yourself the best trolling motor battery possible. They are not incredibly difficult to grasp and therefore we will not spend a long time explaining them in this article.
What is a trolling motor?
For anyone who is new to fishing or trolling motors in general and may not be fully aware of what a trolling motor is, they are a self-contained unit or device that comes with an electric motor, propeller and controls for the owner to use. The controls allow the direction for the trolling motor to be established, as well as the speed at which the motor will run.
Most of the time, trolling motors are situated at the front of the boat and will be pulled out of the water using a hinge mechanism to prevent drag or damage to the trolling motor while the main boat motor is being used.
The idea for trolling motors was originally conceived in 1895 in an article from the Scientific America which was titled “A Portable Electric Propeller for Boats”.
It was not until 1934, when a man from Fargo, North Dakota named O.G. Schmidt took a starting motor from a Ford Model A and combined it with a flexible shaft and propeller. O.G. Schmidt named the company “Minn Kota” due to how his company was to the North Dakota/Minnesota border. Some of the best trolling motor batteries are found in conjunction with the Minn Kota trolling motors.
Trolling motors are designed specifically to take advantage of the wide range of deep cycle batteries in the 12-volt capacity. The motors themselves are designed in a 12, 24 or 36-volt capacity. To prevent overheating, the water tight compartment that the motor sits in, is submerged in water. This keeps the heat down without any additional parts or components needed. A cheap trolling motor battery will almost always work in this case, as trolling motors do not require a lot of power to begin with.
Things look to look out for reading through trolling motor battery reviews
The battery you put in your trolling motor is critical part in getting the most out of your new or old trolling motor. Not buying the proper battery can result in the wrong amount of power or current being supplied to your trolling motor.
Keep in mind, that batteries for automobiles, namely cars or trucks – should not be used for trolling motors for sale. This is an incredibly important point to remember as deep cycle marine batteries (the ones you should be using) are meant to be used for long periods of time and ran down to a state of discharge, whereas automobile batteries are only meant to be used occasionally to supply excess amounts of power to help a car or truck engine fire up.
Pay attention to amp hour rating
This an important testing metric that all batteries are tested with. An amp hour is how much electric current a battery can supply for a certain amount of time.
For all trolling motors, we strongly recommend that you get a minimum of 110 Amp hour rating. This is the Amp hour rating recommended by all big trolling motor manufacturers.
Reserve capacity when looking through the potential trolling motor battery life
The reserve capacity testing metric may be just as important as the Amp hour in terms of gauging what kind of performance you may be able to get form any specific battery with your trolling motor.
The recommended minimum is 180 minutes reserve capacity. This is what you should look for if on the battery’s listing you cannot find Amp hours.
Once you’ve acquired your new battery – take care of it!
Taking care of a trolling motor battery is extremely easy and does not require much. The main point regarding physical maintenance is to always make sure that you properly wipe down the outside of the battery at least once a month to prevent corrosion.
Since you will be buying a deep cycle marine battery, make sure that you always recharge the battery within 24 hours of using it. The sooner the better. There are plenty of battery chargers out there that will make sure you do not over charge the battery, as this can lead to problems as well.
An in-depth look at the top 5 best trolling motor batteries
For every guide, we always provide the top 5 products. For this article it is not different, as we have sought to find the best trolling motor battery available. It was easy, as the best brands out there are all well established.
While we did find the best trolling motor battery, we strongly recommend all the batteries listed here. They will all hold up well in rough waters and keep your trolling motor running for plenty of time. You will not have to worry about a ruined fishing day due to a dead battery.
Odyssey 31M-PC2150ST-M Trolling Battery – Best Trolling Motor Battery
Odyssey is one of the most well-known battery brands, and without any surprise, they make a marine battery specifically for trolling motors. With some of the best trolling motor battery reviews on Amazon, this is a sure buy and one of the best out there.
The 12-volt deep cycle battery comes with 1150 Cold Cranking Amps. Its recharging abilities is unprecedented with capability to do 100% recharge within 4 – 6 hours. For those of you who like fishing in Fall, and even early Winter before the water freezes – you’ll be happy to find that this battery operates in -40F and 176F.
The dimensions and weight for the battery are as follows:
- 8 inches long
- 1 inches wide
- 9 inches tall
- Weight: 77.8 pounds
The non-spill design and vibration resistance is incredibly on this battery. The estimated service life time is 3 – 10 years, and the warranty is a 4-year full warranty.
Optima Batteries 8016-103 D34M BlueTop Starting and Deep Cycle Marine Battery
Optima is a favorite of ours for battery brands. The 8016-103 D34M BlueTop is one of the best out there and comes with 750 Cold Cranking Amps, in 12-volt.
Since it is built with anti-fragility in mind, the resistance to vibration is incredible on this battery, and its construction allows for the battery to be mounted in almost any position. Reserve Capacity of 120 minutes means you will get constant performance with your trolling motor for a full day of fishing.
The dimensions and weight are as follows:
- 10 inches long
- 6 7/8 inches wide
- 7 13/16 inches tall
- Weight: 43.5 pounds
This battery is one of the lighter ones available on the market. Keep in mind, that you will probably not only be able to power your trolling motor with this battery, but all the other accessories on your boat, too. We strongly recommend the Optima Batteries 8016-103 D34M BlueTop.
Interstate Battery Sealed Lead Acid (AGM) Deep Cycle Battery
This 12-volt battery will work with any type of trolling motor, namely Minn Kota trolling motors. It is a self-contained battery and maintenance free. Of course, a basic wipe down and post tightening is in order from time to time.
These are smaller batteries which are perfect for boats with little battery storage space. If you are only needing to power a trolling motor, then one of these will do just fine. You can run 2 of these in parallel to give your trolling motor an extra boost.
The dimensions and weight are as follows:
- 7 inches long
- 2 inches wide
- 3 inches tall
- Weight: 23.8 pounds
Keep in mind that due to Interstate’s incredible warranty program, that you can exchange these batteries before the warranty runs out if you have a proof of purchase.
VMAX MR127-100 12V 100Ah AGM Deep Cycle Marine Battery
VMAX is well known battery manufacturer, and they make some of the best trolling batteries out there. The VMAX MR127-100 12V 100Ah comes in with 12-volts and 100 Amp hours. The reserve capacity on this unit is 200 minutes. Which is quite substantially higher than the average Reserve Capacity of 120 minutes.
For people looking for a maintenance free battery, this is the one. It uses the AGM technology, which means that shock and vibration resistance is extremely good as well. The dimensions and weight are the following:
- 1 inches long
- 7 inches wide
- 46 inches tall
- Weight: 68 pounds
Due to the high weight of the battery, make sure you can properly lift the battery before attempting to install it. Warranty is a 1-year replacement and included with the battery is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
This battery also has a massive advantage in that it can be used for other applications as well. Due to it’s large amount of power, you can power other accessories on your boat and still use your trolling motor without any hassle.
ExpertPower 12v 33ah Rechargeable Deep Cycle Battery [EXP12330]
ExpertPower takes full advantage of AGM technology with the 12v 33ah Deep Cycle battery here. Built to last with strong shock and vibration resistance using non-conductive ABS plastic, the battery will work great in rough waters. Since it is a 12-volt, any trolling motor will work just fine. The 33 Amp hours are a great fix as well, the minimum recommendation is 27 amp hours.
With an easy installation, this is a great trolling motor battery for anyone looking to not have to deal with a lot of hassle or people who are not overly experienced in installing batteries. Safety wise, the acid inside the battery is immobilized by being absorbed between the plates.
The weight and dimensions are as follows:
- 72 inches long
- 16 inches wide
- 09 inches tall
- Weight: 23.32 pounds
For people who are looking for a full-sized trolling motor battery, this is without a doubt one of the best trolling motor batteries out there.
Best trolling motor battery brands
Like other segments of the battery industry, there are a few different companies with trolling motor batteries for sale. They are well known and respected in the industry. Quite frankly you cannot not go wrong with any of them.
We will give a bit of history regarding the company, and what they offer.
Minn Kota trolling motor battery
Minn Kota started building trolling motors back in 1934 near the border of Minnesota and North Dakota. The full name for the company is Minn Kota Manufacturing Company.
The Minn Kota trolling battery did not come out onto the market until the 1980s, as until then Minn Kota solely focused on just trolling motors. Many pro fishermen use these batteries as well as Minn Kota trolling motors. The Minn Kota battery is known across the industry as the best battery for trolling motor.
Interstate trolling motor battery
Interstate Batteries has been around for quite some – they opened shop in 1952. Since then they have built batteries for not only trolling motors, but cars, trucks and other engines as well.
Interstate batteries have found themselves in NASCAR as well, with Interstate sponsoring Joe Gibbs Racing. In 1993, at the Daytona 500, Joe Gibbs Racing achieved the first victory at the First Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
An Interstate trolling motor battery will often be listed as just a marine battery or deep cycle marine battery – both work and are some of the best trolling motor batteries for the money.
Optima trolling motor battery
Optima has always been a popular brand name and continues to build some of the best trolling motor batteries on the market. They are generally marketed as deep cycle marine batteries. Originally created by Donald H. McClelland and John L. Devitt after filing a patent for a maintenance-free, lead-acid battery.
The best trolling motor battery from Optima is the model listed below. It is the model we also recommend for boat owners looking for a general-purpose battery for their boat.
Final thoughts
Getting a trolling motor is a great way to open your opportunities up while out on the water. Being able to get your boat virtually anywhere is a huge plus. With trolling motors, you get to do it with relative ease. Any experienced fishermen will want a trolling motor sooner or later. Just watching the pro bass fishermen as well as the TV fishermen scoot around with a trolling motor is enough to get one.
As said earlier, it is extremely important that you find the best trolling motor battery possible for your trolling motor. They are listed up above, and all of them are truly great picks that will work out great for you.
The trolling motor battery size is also extremely important to factor in when buying a battery as well. Make sure that it fits properly! We do not want to hear about the unfortunate happening where someone buys a battery only for it to not fit in their boat.
Last, but not least – please make sure that your setup your trolling motor battery installation process in a well-lit, controlled environment. A garage of any kind will do just fine. You do not want to make life more difficult for yourself with the good trolling motor battery that you bought by installing it in a windy or dark area.
Hopefully you have by now found the best trolling motor battery for your trolling motor and you are well on your way to getting back out onto the water!